Hen Care
responsibly raised hens.
We know eggs,
from farm to table
As a family business that spans over nine decades, Gray Ridge Eggs is proud to work with egg farmers focused on high standards of hen care and sustainable practices to provide Ontario customers with safe, nutritious, and affordable eggs.
Your Eggs, Our Responsibility
We take our responsibility seriously, providing a variety of choices – from classic Grade A to specialty eggs like organic and nutrient-enriched – to meet the diverse values, budgets, and preferences of Ontario consumers. That includes working with farmers who transition to alternative hen housing, including enriched colony, free run and free range. Enriched colony is a newer housing type that features larger enclosures, allowing hens to exhibit their natural behaviours with access to quiet nesting boxes, perches and scratching areas.
All egg farmers in Canada are phasing out conventional (cage) housing by 2036. Egg Farmers of Canada provides information on the national transition to alternative hen housing in its annual reports.
Hen Care Standards
Egg farmers have always made it their top priority to care for their hens. They follow strict standards and protocols for animal care to keep hens healthy and ensure eggs are produced according to some of the highest quality standards in the world.
All the Ontario egg farmers take part in a comprehensive, national Animal Care Program (ACP). As a part of this program, trained field inspectors visit the farm to ensure that hens have a comfortable environment, well-balanced and nutritious diet, fresh water and clean surroundings.
The Animal Care Program is based on the National Farm Animal Care Council’s (NFACC) Code of Practice, developed in collaboration with farmers, animal welfare advocacy groups and enforcement agencies, scientists, veterinarians, retail, government, and industry representatives.
NFACC independently reviewed and recognized the program using their robust, multi-stakeholder, consensus-based Animal Care Assessment Framework to confirm it meets all the requirements of the code.
Farmers Know Best
Meet some of our Ontario egg farmer partners and the other experts who make sure that only the best practices are followed when it comes to egg farming in Ontario.
On Farm Hen Care
We take pride in the strong track record of our farmer-suppliers who meet or exceed all standards in the Codes of Practice and industry programs. All farms that supply eggs to Gray Ridge Eggs’ grading stations abide by rigorous, science-based animal welfare standards set forth and audited through Egg Farmers of Canada’s Animal Care Program.
Additionally, all Ontario egg farms are required to undergo a third-party audit to verify conformance to the Egg Farmers of Ontario food safety and animal care programs.
In every type of housing, hens receive excellent care from caretakers who are specially trained and committed to doing what’s best for the birds. Nutritionists prepare and provide balanced, high-quality diets to the hens, and farmers also work closely with veterinarians who advise on all aspects of hen health and well-being.
From Ontario Farms to Your Table
Here’s how Ontario eggs get to you – fresh and safe – in 1 week max!
Courtesy of Egg Farmers of Ontario
egg farms
Grading Station
Grocery Store
Supporting Local Ontario Farmers
As egg graders and marketers, we grade eggs according to Canada Grade A standards, and bring them to the grocery stores across Ontario in brands that consumers can trust.
It all starts with collecting eggs from our local Ontario farmers every day. At our grading station, eggs are gently washed and dried before undergoing candling process. The candling process uses strong light to ensure that the interior of the egg is free from internal defects, and whether the yolk is well centered. Next, the eggs are weighed and sorted by size (small, medium, large, extra-large, jumbo) for packaging.
Beyond grading, our team of certified poultry experts support egg farmers in various aspects of their operations. They assist in developing & implementing new technologies and innovative strategies to enhance egg quality, formulating hens’ diets to ensure optimal nutrition, and by developing biosecurity measures to protect birds’ overall health. Additionally, they ensure compliance with regulatory standards, and help our farmers implement quality assurance programs to maintain high standards for the safety and quality of the eggs.
Meet the Experts
Facts about hen care are brought to you by these egg farming experts:
Egg Farmers of Ontario is the marketing organization for the over 400 egg farmers and pullet growers in Ontario who account for 40% of total egg production in Canada, or 200 million dozen eggs annually.
Farm & Food Care Ontario is a whole-sector coalition made up of representatives from all farming types and associated businesses, and positions itself as the helpful expert on Ontario agriculture. The common goal is to build public trust in food and farming in Ontario and across Canada.